Dmitri turned from the window, the weight of his past etched on his face. "There are things about my life before you that I haven't told you, Elías," he began, his voice heavy with regret. "Things I'm not proud of."
He proceeded to tell Elías about the darker aspects of his rise to power, the ruthless decisions he had made, the people he had crossed, and the enemies he had created. He spoke of betrayals, of power struggles, and of the lengths he had gone to protect his empire.
"I was a different man then, Elías," he said, his voice filled with remorse. "I was consumed by ambition and fear. I believed that power was the only thing that mattered, and I was willing to do anything to get it."
He explained that he had made enemies who were still out there, people who held grudges and sought revenge. He admitted that the phone call was likely a warning, a threat designed to destabilize him and to hurt him through Elías.
"I should have told you all of this before," he said, his voice filled with guilt. "But I was afraid. Afraid of what you would think of me, afraid of losing you."
Elías listened in silence, his heart aching for the man he loved. He realized that Dmitri's transformation was even more profound than he had imagined. To confront his past, to acknowledge his mistakes, and to expose his vulnerability was a testament to his commitment to change.